Coach Malzahn's post game quotes after the Western Carolina game

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn talked to the media on Saturday after the Tigers outmatched the Western Carolina Catamounts. Here are the coach's quotes released from Auburn University:

Head Coach Gus Malzahn

Opening Statement…

"The big thing that stood out to me was I really feel like our team got better today. Our coaches really challenged the guys, saying ‘Hey we need to get better each week.' Other teams in our situation wouldn't have. I'm proud of our team, and the fact that they went out there and took care of business today."

On Jeremy Johnson…

"I thought Jeremy did a solid job. I think he made some good decisions early. The line protected him extremely well. He's been playing very well in practice and that carried over today."

On the decision to not red-shirt Jeremy Johnson…

"He's been in the mix for a couple of weeks now and our starter was not 100 percent healthy. We felt like it was a great time to get him in there. We feel like he'll help us the rest of the season, and I want to make this clear, Nick Marshall is our starting quarterback. When Nick is 100 percent, he will be back. We feel very good about Jeremy and it was great to get him some in-game experience."

On Nick Marshall...

"Well, Nick is our starting quarterback and that's the bottom line. At the same time, Jeremy will help this team win the rest of the season."

On taking off Jeremy Johnson's red shirt…

"We've been thinking about playing him for a couple of weeks. So, I just thought the timing was perfect. Of course, Nick needs to be 100 percent, so we will see where that is at."

On Nick Marshall returning for Texas A&M…

"We wanted to rest him and make sure he is 100 percent. We're hoping so. We'll see where he's at tomorrow and Tuesday in practice."

On Nick Marshall's injury…

"I'm not going to get into the personal things. We just want him 100 percent when he comes back."

On school record for total offense…

"I'm proud of our team. Our line did a good job up front. Our backs broke some tackles. We had some explosive plays in the passing game and we've talked about that for the past two weeks. We talked about being more balanced, so I'm proud of our offense."

On the differences between Nick Marshall and Jeremy Johnson…

"Well I think they are both very talented players. Jeremy has a very strong arm with a quick release and he's a good runner within his own rank. "

On Jeremy Johnson's passing…

"I thought his numbers were very good. I believe he was fairly accurate, but he's been that way for a while. He's an accurate thrower and he's very good in that aspect."

On a quarterback controversy…

"No, not at all. I think we proved today that we have two very capable quarterbacks and I think that will do nothing but help us moving forward."

On getting both of them in the game…

"We'll see where that goes. I'll get with Coach (Rhett) Lashlee. We're always going to try to do what we feel like gives us the best chance schematically and personnel on the field."

On Jonathan Wallace…

"I think that's how it was during the first part of the season, but as the season progressed Jeremy has gotten more reps in practice and the majority of the number two reps."

On Patrick Miller and Brandon Fulse…

"Neither one of those guys played. They had some off the field things that they need to take care of."

On the run game…

"It was a really good thing. We are a run play-action team and any time we run the football effectively, it opens everything else up. I thought our line did an outstanding job and I thought our running backs broke some tackles."

On Jeremy Johnson's accuracy…

"He's been very accurate throwing the football and I think any time it's your first time you're going to be a little jacked-up on your first deep ball. Of course, he over threw it. He's been extremely accurate during the passing game."

On Texas A&M…

"All I can say is we have gotten better each week and that's been the name of the game throughout the season. I like where our team's at now and I like the fact of us getting better."

On playing so many different guys…

"Well I think it's really good. It gives you more depth and we've played a lot of guys any way this year. Any time they get more experience, it does nothing but help you."

On Jonathan Ford…

"We moved him to corner this year and we'll see after the year what happens. I think you can see he's a phenomenal player. The fact that we have three experienced backs obviously has something to do with that. He's a threat, there's no doubt."

On what Malzahn said to Jeremy Johnson when he took him out…

"Really not much. I just shook his hand. We will evaluate him and grade him, but overall I thought he had a solid day."

On playing Nick Marshall if it was a tight game…

"I don't know. We would have had to make that decision as we went."

On player injuries…

"We just wanted to make sure we were healthy moving forward. We want to make sure guys are healthy as we are about to hit our stretch. We will have our hands full the last six games and we need everybody as healthy as we can."

On how Nick Marshall is dealing with the injury…

"Nick has been great. Nick is just a team player and he was helping in the meetings and on the sideline. We got three guys that are just class guys. They help each other, they support each other and that's rare, but we have three of them."

On Fulse and Miller being suspended…

"The only thing I'm going to say about that is that they didn't play today and they had some things to take care of off the field."

On the season overall…

"I'm proud of our team through the halfway point of the season. I felt like we have done some good things. We've not arrived. We're not there yet, and our guys understand that. We're getting better and that's what excites me. We'll see where this thing goes."